Bobo-dioulasso: The actors implementing the pilot demonstration project of the NB-ITTAS Regional Project, implemented in the Kou basin, met on Monday in Bobo-Dioulasso for a workshop to share experiences on good practices in integrated management of surface and groundwater. This meeting aims to capitalize on the achievements of a pilot project carried out in the Kou valley in order to reproduce them in other waterways of the country, while strengthening the capacities of the beneficiaries through the provision of appropriate tools.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the coordinator of the pilot project, representing the Director General of Water Resources, Valentin Tiama, explained that the initiative arose in response to numerous challenges, including the pollution of the Houet stream, recurring water shortages, and the loss of autonomy of the population and the ecosystem. He elaborated that the project aims to involve beneficiaries and various water agencies to disseminate the good practices tested across the basin.
Mr. Tiama also emphasized that climate change, pollution from human activities, and the silting up of waterways pose serious threats to water resources. The workshop identified priority actions and provided beneficiaries with technical tools to facilitate the adoption and sustainable implementation of these good practices in other contexts.
During the meeting, a symbolic handover of keys to the completed infrastructure, as well as two garbage bins, was carried out to the beneficiaries by the Technical Advisor to the President of the Special Delegation of the municipality of Bobo-Dioulasso. To ensure the sustainability of the investments, a Hydro-Agricultural Infrastructure Management Committee (HAIMC) was established during the workshop. This committee represents a model of participatory and collaborative management, directly involving users.
The chairmanship of the committee was entrusted to Daouda Sanou, from Banakeledaga, for a three-year term renewable once. Its operation will be based on user fees and contributions from local authorities. Representing the head of the municipality, Fadel Sye Arnaud Ouattara, technical advisor to the Bobo-Dioulasso PDS (Departmental Development Plan), praised the initiative's relevance.
He stated that this workshop would allow stakeholders to share best practices for better managing waterways, which are often used as dumping grounds by local communities. "Water resource management is paramount for us. The cost of water is a burden for the population, and sharing experiences in this area will be of great help to us on a daily basis," he declared.